I'm a 1000% noob and searched the forums for this for at least an hour, but couldn't find an answer. I'm hoping to build a Workbee. I am trying to decide on the size and orientation for the machine, which will fit on a 2' x 4' work bench (usually) against a wall. Assume for discussion a 1050. All "off-the-shelf" Workbee kits (OpenBuilds, Oooznest, SPAM, etc.) would have a 500mm X-axis and a 1000mm Y-axis. Contrast that with the OpenBuilds Sphinx kits which reverses that by having a 1000mm X and a 500mm Y. I'd THINK that having the "open" end facing you would be beneficial since it would ease access to clamps, etc. Likewise I'd think that having the "open" end be larger would add a bit of flexibility since in a pinch you could have a larger work piece overhang the end of the spoilboard (on either side). So 1) are my usage assumptions correct? Would the larger X make it easier and more flexible to use in a benchtop setting? And, 2) what is the major disadvantage? I assume that there's a reason that the orientation is the way it is on the "off the shelf" Workbee kits. My "gut" is to buy a 1010 kit and cut down the Y-axis to fit my bench top. Why should I NOT do this? Thanks!!!
I'm not going to try to answer all your questions, but the reason that the X axis is usually the shorter one is that leads to a more rigid machine = greater accuracy. The Y axis is braced by the X axis, but the longer the X axis is the more flex you will have (weight of router/spindle and forces from the bit cutting material). You can get flex in the Y axis as well, of course, so rather than getting the largest machine you can fit in the available space you should get the smallest machine that will do the jobs you want to do. 1010 is a good compromise - especially if it's leadscrew (although belt drive gives you higher feed rates which can be useful for cutting plastic) Alex.
And more-so by the Spoilboard - which sits between them, helping to keep them from flexing (; that's what I would do!
OpenBuilds and Ooznest offer WorkBee kits. What SPAM is selling is a WannaBe. (SPAM is not a part of the OpenBuilds ecosystem and while they may imply they offer the same thing, they don't.)
Umm... no. Side rails on both the WorkBee and Lead machines span front to back with no contact to the spoil board. The Sphinx is the only one that braces the side rails. My suggestion would be the Lead Machine. It's more versatile should you ever want to upgrade. The real issue here is you haven't told us what you want to use it for. Without that information it's hard to make proper recommendations.
Thanks to all for the replies. Understood, and all things being even close to equal, I'd definitely buy "local." Ditto if I was looking for 100% turnkey. But I'd only be buying the mechanical kit from them. Would be buying a black box from here and DIY'ing all else. Is there that much difference in the extrusions, plates and screws to warrant 50%+ more? Apples to apples, for 1010 kits (also including stepper motors, wiring and drag chain and inclusive of shipping) it's $750 vs. > $1600. Truly, I'm curious what the differences would be. I'd think that the spoil board bolted to the cross members would greatly strengthen the overall structure and prevent racking much like drywall strengthens wood framing in a house, no? Was that not what he was implying? I'm just looking for a flexible hobby machine. Mostly for play. I've got an amateur woodshop in the garage that this would complement. Would want to carve plywood and hardwood for furniture and fixtures. Definitely also would use it for machining aluminum parts to support some of the research projects I'm working on (i.e., stepping up from 3D printed prototypes). Beyond that, just having fun making. I've seen a lot of posts here about rigidity/flexing concerns with the Lead machine? What makes you recommend it as being more flexible than the others. Honestly, I'm having a hard time telling much difference between these as they all seem to be similar (C-beam extrusions, lead screws, solid v-wheels, etc.). Again, I'm a noob. Thanks again!
System balance. SPAM plays to the ego. Massive motors, massive spindles, 1500mm lengths, etc. which ultimately make for a poor system. And by the time people realize this, SPAM has their money and they no longer exist. We don't play that game, we have a conscience. And that's just the beginning. It's more than just extrusions. It's plates, it's wheels, it's combinations of all of the above that if they don't fit properly you have slop or binding both of which hurt a system. And if something isn't right, good luck with resolution. They already have your money. I'm not saying you will have a problem with their system but posts here regarding problems with their systems are fairly regular. You're mixing two different kinds of flexible. One being the opposite of rigid, the other relating to options. The biggest issue with flexibility (ie non-rigidity) involves torsion in long X-axis beams and the tool head bobbing up and down because of the eccentric weight of the spindle causing the beam to roll in flexure. This is where the other kind of flexibility (ie, options) comes in. It's fairly simple to add a High Z Mod for Lead CNC to a Lead Machine which if installed with plenty of space between the two beams eliminates the first kind of flexibility. It also allows for heavier spindles which goes back to the second kind of flexibility. And this is where you don't want a 1000mm X-axis. Length increases flexibility (non-rigidity) which is the enemy of cutting hard materials. Flexibility causes the bit to skim off the surface rather than biting into the material. The High Z Mod for Lead CNC if installed with plenty of space between the two beams might save you but there is no specific data on this.
Thanks for the detailed answers. I wasn't actually confusing rigidity and adaptability...was asking both questions in close proximity. You've definitely got me thinking more about the LEAD, now. Seems to be much easier to mod moving forward. I'd thought that the solid Y-plate would be a more rigid setup than the 8020 extrusion, but the more I think about it, this is likely not true...perhaps even opposite. May try the 1m X-axis and see if I run into any issues as I progress. With this one in particular, it looks really easy to swap for around < $100 in parts and a weekend's worth of labor. Actually "free" if I buy the 500mm extrusions and lead screws for the Y-axis up front instead of cutting my kit parts. It's just going to be a hobby, and tinkering and modding is half the fun. You should see the hack job that is my "used-to-be-a" Creality CR-10s. Thanks again!
